Settling a Digital Frontier
by moss28
Summary: After adjusting to his new role at Encom, Flynn returns to the digital world with some interesting news.


He hears footsteps behind him just a moment before her arms circle around his waist. There was a time when he would have told her that the guessing game was no challenge for a security monitor, but he's since come to appreciate the lighthearted method of greeting.

"Guess who."

"Yori."

It's little more than a sigh on his lips as he turns so that they're facing each other, and her eager smile is equally as warm as his. Tron leans down so that their foreheads are just about to touch as Yori's grip tightens around him. He's preparing to go in for a kiss, eyes already closed in anticipation, when his counterpart pulls away abruptly.

The look on his face must amuse her, for she has to stifle a giggle. She extends a hand towards him, then, and the sparkle in her eyes is what ultimately leads him to take it. It's a look he knows well, having spent so much time around the simulations program. It usually means he's about to be presented with or shown some new piece of tech she's been working on, or be guided towards her latest discovery.

"Come on, you won't want to miss this," she insists.

He laughs as he allows himself to be pulled along. A few programs send curious glances in their direction, no doubt confused by the sight of the warrior Tron being lead like a stray Bit. Others offer a smile or a raised hand in greeting. They're the ones who are either used to the sight, or they know Yori well enough to be able to recognize her look of bright-eyed anticipation. But Tron himself doesn't feel so much as a stirring of embarrassment. He trusts his counterpart implicitly, and would gladly follow her wherever she might see fit to take him.

She stops in a quiet corner of a less populated sector, and looks around as though she's expecting something to happen. Tron gives the area a quick scan. There are no detectable security threats, no pressing issues to attend to. In fact, there doesn't seem to be much of anything at all in the area. It's startling, therefore, when a voice sounds from behind him.

"How're my two favorite programs?"

Yori peeks around Tron's frame in response to the sound, and her pleased expression is the only thing that stops him from drawing his disc. The voice is familiar to him as well, once he considers it, but he has to see it to believe it. He turns around, his hand never leaving Yori's, and he can't help but smile as his suspicions are confirmed.

"Flynn!" Yori is the first to exclaim, and her smile broadens as the User moves forward and clasps her free hand. "I thought you were supposed to be coming in right here."

"My calculations were a little off, but there'll be plenty of time to work on that."

Tron claps the former conscript on the shoulder with affection.

"We didn't think we'd be seeing you again, Flynn. After everything with the MCP..."

"Hey, if there's one thing I'm good at, it's doing the unexpected," he responds, and Tron nods in amused agreement. Flynn releases Yori's hand, and they briefly share a look that Tron doesn't quite comprehend. But then Flynn's grinning again, and it doesn't seem to be worth questioning.

"You don't know how good it is to see you two again. I would've been here sooner, but Encom's gotten a little crazy since we last saw each other. One of the perks of being the boss."

The statement feels worthy of congratulations, but Flynn doesn't seem interested in letting the conversation lull. He comes to stand by Tron's other side, and puts an arm around the program's shoulders. With a gentle nudge, he begins guiding the pair back in the direction they came from before turning them down an alternate route. But, again, there isn't a moment for questions.

"So, how've things been?" Flynn asks. "How's the system holding up?"

"Everything is improving, for the most part," Tron replies, trying to formulate a shorter status report than the ones he transmits to his own User. "The MCP had been siphoning quite a bit of power from the system, so our main task is to redistribute the resources. Security threats are a persistent issue, but nothing that can't be dealt with."

Flynn nods, though Tron doubts he's absorbed much of the information. The User's gaze is wandering elsewhere, trailing along the sleek circuit lines that adorn the landscape around them. The security program wishes he knew the other's thoughts, if only to find out how a User truly regarded their world.

"What about the two of you?" Flynn follows up with a moment later.

"We're fine, Flynn," Yori says in response, and Tron is slightly taken aback by her vaguely impatient tone. "But I believe you came here with news for us, correct?"

The trio comes to a halt, and Tron spots an I/O tower complex not far from where they're standing. Just as before, however, their immediate surroundings don't appear to contain anything of interest. Flynn drops his arm from Tron's shoulders and moves so that he can comfortably address both programs.

"Yori's right. Oh, man, where do I even start?" he says with a shake of his head. "Alright, Tron, I've gotta be honest. This isn't the first time I've been back in the system. Yori's been helping me run some tests, and I didn't want word getting around, so-"

" _You_ knew about this?" Tron interrupts, turning to face his counterpart with a slightly incredulous expression. "As a security monitor, I think I have a right to know about what's going on in the system."

She waits until he finishes, but it isn't hard to see that she's biting back a retort all the while.

"Yes, I knew about it. And it was both of our ideas, so don't go blaming Flynn, either. I'm more familiar with the digitizing algorithms than any other program, Tron, and you know that. If anything had turned into a security threat, I would have gone to you straight away."

His jaw clenches, and then he relaxes slightly. It's more about the _principle_ of secret keeping than the actual secret keeping itself, but he also knows that she's right. Yori is as dedicated to her work as he is to his own, and it's doubtful that she would do anything to put either it or the system in jeopardy. With that in mind, he nods his acceptance.

"Y'know, you guys really _do_ sound a lot like- Nevermind," Flynn starts again. "Anyway, I wanted to make sure everything was working reliably before I got anyone's hopes up. I didn't want to cut you out of the loop, Tron, believe me, but we weren't even sure if this was gonna work."

It's hard to deny that the User looks genuinely apologetic. And knowing who - or what, rather - he is, Tron can't find it in himself to argue. Besides, he trusts Yori's judgment more than anything. If she helped decide how to proceed, then it was the right way to go about things.

"I... I understand, Flynn. But I'm still not sure where you were going with this."

Flynn smiles again.

"I'm getting to that. After I was back on my side of the screen, I really started thinking about what I'd seen here. You guys can get away with stuff that still isn't possible for us. Your vehicles _alone_ are somethin' else. Solid light trails, energy beams as guidance systems..."

" _Flynn_ ," Yori cuts in, her tone growing impatient once again. The User appears a bit sheepish at having been caught rambling.

"Right, right, getting ahead of myself. The bottom line is, I can do things here that I can't do out there, but I don't wanna mess up this system with my experiments. So I'm making my own. Kinda like this one, only a little smaller and a lot more private. I'll have more control over the place from both sides, and it'll really be something once it's up and running. And I want the both of you there with me."

Everything had been half understood up until the last sentence. Once it sinks in, Tron's eyes widen in surprise. He looks to Yori to see her reaction, but he can't decipher the emotions that are playing across her features.

" _Us_?" Tron asks, all confusion and disbelief. "But we have duties here, Flynn. I can't go abandoning the system when it needs me so badly."

"Already talked to Alan about it," the User responds easily. "I think he thinks I'm crazy, but I told him that I was working on a project that needed a little extra security, and that you're just the program for the job. He offered me a backup copy, but I said I'd prefer the original. So the backup'll take care of things here while you're over there."

"What about Yori?" Tron counters. "I'm sure her absence wouldn't go unnoticed."

He expects a response from one or both of his companions. What he doesn't expect is the way Yori takes his other hand in hers, and maneuvers around so that they're facing only each other. Her happiness seems to have dulled, and she regards him with calm, almost sad eyes.

"There's something else I haven't told you about," she admits, and she casts her gaze downward at the confession. "I didn't want you to worry, Tron, and I promise there are no more secrets after this."

There's fear crawling through his circuits at her words. He pulls one of his hands free and uses it to tilt her chin upwards, and they share a long, silent moment together before she speaks again.

"The laser project hasn't been progressing as quickly as everyone had hoped. If Flynn hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known, but it seems like the project is... is set to be terminated."

She looks dejected, and rightly so. Tron pulls her close and sends her a warm, comforting flow of energy as he rubs her back in small circles.

"Master Control took a big risk digitizing me," Flynn explains quietly as he watches the display with a sad smile. "The software wasn't ready for anything more than oranges, and it really took a toll. Only reason I can still get through is because my pattern's stored, but anything or any _one_ else... The government stopped funding when they stopped seeing results. Lora's tried just about everything, but..."

"But it's out of her control," Yori finishes, her voice still heavy with regrets. "Even if the project is restarted, new programs will be required to carry out digitization on the newest laser model. It would leave myself and the other simulations programs to either derez, or live a life without a function."

Both fates are practically matched, as far as undesirability goes. Their existences are largely dictated by their functions, and a life without a purpose is no life at all. It's an outcome that no program wants. She lays her head against his chest, and he continues moving his hand across her back even as he looks towards Flynn.

"So you decided to take the laser for _your_ system?" Tron asks.

"Exactly," the User nods. "Lora thinks it's going into storage, which it sort of is. At least this way it won't sit around and rot in some broom closet. And if she ever needs it back, believe me, man, it's all hers. I'm just borrowing it."

It's still a lot to take in all at once. Even Yori, who was apparently better prepared for the news, seems to be having some trouble processing it all. It takes her another moment before she feels steady enough to move away, though she immediately takes Tron's hand again once they're parted.

"I know I'm asking a lot," Flynn says, "but I won't make you decide right now. You've got about a month from my side before we hit crunch time with the laser, and that's a decent timeframe for you guys. But I wouldn't be offering if it wasn't important, and really, Tron... It'd mean a lot to have you there. Both of you."

They say their goodbyes, and then Flynn makes his way towards the tower complex. Yori explains that it's the safest way for him to exit the system, and they both watch the place until the signal beam returns to its resting state. Once they've been assured of the User's safe departure, Tron turns towards his counterpart.

"What do you think of all of this?"

She responds by pulling him into a long-awaited kiss that's over much too quickly.

"I don't have much of a choice," she murmurs. "But I think it could be exciting. It's a new system to explore, and we'll be some of the first programs there. Flynn said I'll be able to run some of my own simulations, too. No matter what, though, wherever I end up... I know that I want _you_ with me."

The sentiment is punctuated by another kiss, this one far more satisfying than the last. Tron can practically feel his circuits flush violet as they press close together, their very life forces mingling as the energy jumps between them. He holds her close even after their lips have parted. The system won't be the same without Yori. No, his _existence_ won't be the same without Yori.

Being anywhere without her is something he can't consider.

"I know exactly how you feel," he sighs, and the decision has already been made.


End file.
